U.S. Park Police spokeswoman Sgt. Anna Rose said that 15 people were taken to hospitals following the crash Tuesday afternoon; three of those suffered critical injuries. The person who died was a bus passenger, she said.

In an email, Rose said the mid-sized shuttle bus was carrying 18 tourists from China and the driver, who was not injured. The car had two occupants.

At a news conference, Rose said the collision occurred shortly before 5 p.m. The shuttle bus was traveling northbound on the George Washington Memorial Parkway, and the car was traveling south, Rose said.

When the two vehicles collided, the bus fell onto the driver’s side and skidded, Rose said, adding that passers-by helped right the bus so passengers could escape.

Police closed sections of the parkway, which runs along the Potomac River between the nation’s capital and Mount Vernon.

Fairfax County Police said they were assisting Park Police and directing families of the injured to the Mount Vernon police station.